Dumb Question Logistics and Transportation Canadian way

[malleefarmer]

Youve got weather against you, lack of trains and cars and of course the rockies and tryanny of distance.

But has it always been this way? Or are you guys like farmers worldwide producing more off your given acre and the supply chain cant keep up and is out of date.

Or was it privately owned and then went to govt hands or vice versa and it gone belly up since then?

Do oil and grain fight for same rail space?

Ports to the north to me wouldnt work due to weather and narrow shipping window?

Went to balcarres and muenster wow its a long way from everywere when you think of freight.

In montana i saw grain trains seemingly 12 even 1300 metres long filling wheat at a elevator then two towns on another train similar, maybe that grain heads south or is rail movement easier stateside?

really didnt ask enough questions between beers...........

Can it be fixed? Would farmers co fund rail with graincos?? I doubt it.

Which way does manitoba grain move east i guess? Or depends which side of manitoba?

[bucket]

No it can't be fixed because they are still closing 10000 tonne concrete elevators here....and politicians sit on their hands and do nothing because the contributors to their campaigns tell them to do sfa.....

Here is the reply from the MP in regards to the closure. ...



"""""Thank you for your email outlining the nature of your concerns.

As we discussed during the phone conversation of January 9, 2018 the MP cannot intervene in business decisions made by private companies. You mentioned as well that a complaint be lodged with the Competition Bureau regarding this matter. Complaints can be lodged by individuals, and I am attaching a link that explains the process as well as the contact information should you consider a complaint.

As well during that conversation, you mentioned the cost and long term impacts terminal closure will have on local infrastructure, and as that is the responsibility of the provincial government, we recommend you contact your local MLA.

I have passed along to Tom any information and concerns we have received from constituents on the Viterra terminal closure at Eyebrow, and he is well aware of this situation.

Again, thank you for contacting our office.



Regards
Constituency Assistant to Tom Lukiwski, MP. """""


So to paraphrase .... **** off and don't bother us with your issues.

[Kinger]

Railways are the main bottleneck for our grain getting to end users.

CP and CN have gotten better overall shipping numbers than 10 years ago but the problem is increased production and the demand between oil and grain.

Both railways have dropped the ball though and could be doing a lot better. Part of it farmers and graincos have very little in the form of recourse against railways.

No one can afford to play hardball with either of them. Don't like CP and want to not do business with them. Well that's the only economical way of getting grain to the coasts and the domestic markets in Canada or the US can't handle our full production of grain.

Manitoba mostly ships to the east coast but some commodities can ship either way. Soybeans and Malt barley mostly go to the west coast. Canola can go either way. Wheat mostly east coast.

Some stuff does get shipped from Manitoba into the US. Mostly Wheat but some Canola.

Sask mostly ships just to the west coast. A bit of durum wheat goes east coast.

Alberta just west coast.

[blackpowder]

A study in history is necessary.
How geography and politics combined with national borders shut out access to the Mississippi and the Columbia.
Should really have more N-S lines.
How volumes and population then limited number of tracks over the divide.
RR were given huge tracts of land to pay for rail in US same as here.
Eastern shipping barons made sure to keep their interests protected. Keeping grain focused on Lakehead. All from same political party.
Europe biggest customer for long time.
How socialist engineering then handicapped vision. Tried to control all movement and ownership.
Spent resources on an impossible Arctic port and forced some to use it.
Taxpayers still own a fleet of 35 yr old grain cars.
How it controlled industry wide inventory management.
Here in East central AB, shipping I'd say is pretty good most of time. Some goes Van or Rupert. Local terminal regularly sends some trains stateside.
In East Sask, it will always cost more to ship to export. Fact of geography.
So now with that legacy, RR share prices can dictate fleet management. (Locomotive or crew supply for eg.)
And we still have only a few lines over Divide. Going to terminals that suffer from generational stagnation.
On the surface, one would say our rates need to go up to modernize some of fleet.
Behind the obvious there is a lot of things need work.
By the way, I notice all other bulk cars fairly new and in abundance. Liquids, potash, oils for instance.
A legacy of dumb shit that now with inflation and need buildup, leaves an impossibly expensive task ahead. But not impossible.
Remember Mallee, that in Canada grain production was and still is 90% politics.
And yes, we are growing a shit ton more grain to ship. Along with increase in all other commodities.
Just a laymens opinion...